When someone says “VEGAS BABY!!” the first thing that comes to mind is gambling, partying, and staying out until the sun comes up.

What do I envision when someone tells me they want to go to Vegas?

Beautiful lights and stories to be told through my camera.

I’ve been to Vegas more times then I can count and everytime I see something new.
And as you all know, my Nikon D800 & Fujifilm X-E1 is always attached to me.
So what do I always carry with me to make sure I never miss a moment?

1. “Nifty” 50 mm 1.8 lens

   • This piece of glass is always on my camera. Not only is it my tiniest lens in my bag, but it’s the closest focal length to the human eye. It’s perfect for monuments, but versatile enough to use for capturing those street shots. It’s super light and small enough to fit in my purse for those quick swap moments. The 1.4 apeture allows for that added bokeh in the backgrounds and in an instant you can go from the bright outside to a dimly lit gallery and not have to worry it this lens could keep up. Needless to say, I never leave my house without it.

2. Gorillapod

   • I am new to using a gorilla pod since I have my heavy duty tripod, but once again, this little thing is amazing to throw in my bag and pull out for those long exposure night shots. You just hook in up to your camera, find a sturdy place to wrap the legs around, and happy shooting.

•  If you don’t have a tripod for night photography, here are a few tips for getting sharp photos without it.

• Find a flat surface to rest your camera.

• If your camera has a timer, turn it on to 2 sec delay. If it doesn’t, skip to the next step.

• Once you have the camera sturdy, hold your breath (no kidding, this has saved me many times!) and click. If you have your timer on, let go of the camera, if possible, so you don’t get camera shake. If you don’t have the timer, make sure you’re steady and hold as still as possible.

• Wait for the shutter to click and check your photo! 9 times out of 10, you will have a beautiful sharp photo of Vegas at night!
  
  

  3.  iPhone 6s

  • This might seem like a given with the times we’re in. Nobody ever leaves home without their phone. But let me tell you, sometimes the shot we want can only be achieved with the camera we have in hand. If you put away your DSLR and are just walking around, you can whip that phone out quicker and never miss a moment. It might not be the quality you want, but what would you rather have? Quality or a moment that will never happen again?
  • One other thing I use my cell phone for is light. There’s this little thing in our phone called The Flashlight. *Insert gasp!* When I’m traveling, I leave majority of my camera bag at home and one of my favorite toys to shoot with is a video light. I try to keep as little on me as possible and what’s better then having a built in video light on my phone? This can be used to light someone’s face in middle of the night or it can be used for a creative choice to enhance your photo. It’s the little things such as a small light that can give your photos that extra little push.

Bonus:

4. Lensbaby

   • The last item I always keep with me is my Lensbaby Composer Pro & Edge 50. What is this, you may ask? Lensbaby is a company that specializes in creative lenses. They take your normal everyday photo and give it an extra effect. This particular optic creates a “slice”. It’s used to create a miniature effect and makes the photos look like we’re looking at a dolls house. It’s also used to help focus on one aspect of the photo such as a sign or a person. I’ve found this system pushes my creativity to not only look at the big picture, but see the finest details of a city and focus on making others see that detail.

There's so much to do and see in Vegas. Make sure you venture and check out life beyond the strip. Whether you plan to take a helicopter ride with your family and friends or check out a show theres awesome Vegas deals to make your experience amazing.
Also, don’t forget to use my tips when trying to capture these moments!

Most importantly, whether you're in a big city or a little town, go out and practice!
The only way to get better is to constantly be shooting!
Good luck and happy shooting!

New York, New York

The Venetian Gondola shot with Lensbaby Edge 50

Neon Museum

Shot from the 25th floor of the MGM Grand

Bellagio Hotel

Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Garden

Paris Hotel

Aria

Freemont Street

Street performers on Freemont Street

Taxi Cab down the Strip.

This is shot with a technique called "panning". Basically, you focus on a moving object, click the shutter, and move your camera with the object you want to keep in focus.

These two photos were shot from the bridge coming from New York, New York to the MGM Grand.
There's a little lookout that allows you to view the whole strip!